LAS VEGAS – Unlike many seen in the fight game, Gabriel Bonfim won’t belittle or discredit his upcoming foe.
Bonfim (19-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) takes on former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC Fight Night 278 (Paramount+), which takes place Saturday at the Meta APEX. Bonfim is well aware of the credentials of Muhammad (24-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC), as well as his own standing and trajectory in the promotion, and will not shy away from the magnitude of the opportunity he has in front of him.
Advertisement
“I think this is the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced,” Bonfim said through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 278 media day. “We’re talking about a former champion. Definitely, this is the biggest chance I’ve ever faced.”
Although Bonfim thinks highly of Muhammad, he does think he’s catching “Remember the Name” at a good time. Muhammad, who won the belt in July 2024, hasn’t been able to get his hand raised since that title-winning performance against Leon Edwards. He lost the title in his subsequent fight against Jack Della Maddalena in May 2025 and failed to bounce back in November against Ian Machado Garry.
“Belal Muhammad is coming off two losses, and I do believe facing a former champion coming off two losses is the right moment to face him,” Bonfim said.
The 170-pound division in the UFC is arguably the most stacked weight class in the promotion. Wanting to make a big leap, Bonfim wants to make a big statement against Muhammad.
Advertisement
“I think a dominant win over Belal Muhammad, a knockout as early as possible, puts me up there for my next performance.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Gabriel Bonfim: Belal Muhammad ‘the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced’
